Dr. Helen

Commentary on popular culture and society, from a (mostly) psychological perspective

Friday, May 14, 2010

Greg Gutfeld's Unspeakable Truths

I just skimmed over Greg Gutfeld's new book, The Bible of Unspeakable Truths and I must say, it is funny. For those of you unfamiliar with Gutfeld, he is the host of Red Eye on Fox News and used to be the editor of Men's Health. He is known on his show for the Greg-alogue, described as a monologue but with Greg. His book is a series of "Greg-alogues" that are humorous and will leave you laughing even if you disagree with him.

Fontova, the author, fled Cuba in 1961, at the age of seven, with his mother and siblings. He opens the book with the sad story of his family fleeing from Cuba with all of their possessions taken from them. His father was held in a Havana prison but eventually made it to Miami, and then to New Orleans to join his family. His cousin was not so lucky. He was a fervent Catholic activist who spoke out against the regime. His body was found at a Cuban police station, bruised and banged up. The secret police told the family he died of a "heart attack."

Fontova gives the reader some insight into Cuban Americans and why they are so passionate:

If Cuban Americans strike you as too passionate, over the top, even a little crazy, there is a reason. Practically everyday, we turn on our televisions or go out to the street only to see the image of the very man who trained the secret police to murder our relatives--thousands of men, women and boys. This man committed many of these murders with his own hands. And yet we see him celebrated everywhere as the quintessence of humanity, progress, and compassion.

That man, that murderer, is Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Fontova interviews the few people who are still alive who interacted with Che and who tell the truth about him, unlike the sleazy Hollywood stars and the media who because of ignorance or anti-Americanism, have come to idolize a mass murderer.

I have always wondered why in the world anyone would wear a Che Guevera t-shirt, yet I see it all the time, on people who should know better. To some who are just ignorant, Che symbolizes "rebellion and standing against the man." But he was "the man"--the man who murdered innocent men, women and children. After reading Fontova's book and doing a little research, perhaps they will understand what he was really about and will choose a different symbol for their t-shirt. Hopefully, one more like this:

"The touch of a woman makes us feel more secure and more likely to through caution to the winds, ..."

Daily Mail: A woman's touch makes men take more risks with money, psychologists reveal:

Scientists at the University of Alberta found if a female experimenter patted a participant on the back, they were prepared to risk more money than if she just talked to them, or if a man did the patting.

The researchers think this is because we receive a lot of touch from our mothers when we are infants.

This creates a sense of attachment, which makes a baby feel secure. It also helps the youngster's sense of adventure and they are more willing to take the risks that come with exploring unfamiliar contexts and strange situations.

Is this a good thing? Maybe yes, maybe no, depending on the trustworthiness of the woman touching the man. If this experiment is true, that men are more likely to risk money when touched by a woman, then perhaps men should be more aware of this tendency and react by thinking through the risk, rather than by going on how they feel.

Monday, May 10, 2010

PJTV: Cuban bloggers take Miami

Glenn and I headed to beautiful Miami last week where we hung out with incredibly cool and gracious Cuban bloggers from the Babalu blog. They took us to a cigar factory/bar where we talked about blogging, Cuba, living under a dictatorship, the useful idiots in Che Guevara t-shirts, and why it is so important that the US not head in that direction. I love the smell of cigar smoke and am tempted to smoke a cigar....

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Broken Family Law

I recently received a book from author Thomas Cherewick entitled, Broken Family Law: In the Best Interests of the Minor Child. Cherewick is a medical physicist and attorney who went through his own divorce and custody battle and wrote the book as a how-to-guide for both men and women, but especially seems to have good advice for dads, being one himself. From the back cover: "..Cherewick reveals the immorality of a system that focused on destroying him, with total disregard for the best interests of his innocent daughter." He discusses such topics as what works and doesn't in the family law system, how to select the best attorney, how to prepare for the courtroom, and how to defeat the Battered Woman Syndrome hoax.

The author really seems to understand the reality of what men go through in a custody case: "If you have no open wounds, still have all of your appendages, and jail is not your current abode, then consider this a positive outcome so far." Lord, how depressing. However, this man does not give up--his case spans 20 years.

If you are going through a custody case or know a man who is, I recommend this book as Cherewick gives you information in detail that may save you or a loved one years of pain and aggravation.